Nations across the world battle it out with a pandemic, an arduous struggle to escalate from the ravages of Covid-19 ensues. The rich and the poor, no one was spared from its clutches.
This expression is to be quoted in a diabolical voice if COVID -19 were personified. From devouring people to jobs and the economy, this invisible nemesis is unstoppable. Experts are brainstorming for a solution, a vaccine, but all in vain; they witness nothing but subtle games of politics being played by national leaders.
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban shrewdly shredded the constitutional democracy by entitling himself with greater emergency powers, justifying it with the COVID-19 pandemic. Activists claimed it the first violation of democracy in modern European history. Azerbaijan was perhaps not too far away. It too escalated itself in this rat race by halting any opposition to languish behind prison bars. Drawing conclusion by lending an ear to these vile stories, it seems COVID-19 was twisted to one’s self-centred gains.
Who Lost?
Drawing your attention to the once glorified East Capital of India, Kolkata (or Calcutta), you could either be a Bengali drenched in western culture, or the arch-nemesis of the British. You could be anyone, but you must have attempted the iconic yellow taxi ride by ‘luxuriating’ yourself in the black seat, as the vehicle roars through the town, while your hair flutter by the moody breeze.
A Sneak Peek Into A Taxiwala’s Life
The taxiwalas come with their own uniqueness. From surge pricing to unionism to helping during emergencies, catching a taxi is an endeavour undertaken by Calcuttans. A Calcuttan will be found speaking on one’s fair share of rejections by taxi dadas along with the Bengali phrase “Meter e chalan dada, meter down korechen (Run by the metre)”.
Dressed in their dusty cloud grey shirt-pant, they keep swaying their cars through the metropolitan commotion. Encountering angry drivers, corrupted policemen, arguing with passengers, having a deep conversation, close to ramming, hurling abuses, and discussing politics — they have done it all. Hustling in this heat, they sweat it out for survival.
The Situation During The Lockdown
The nation-wide lockdown barrelled down upon Calcutta’s yellow icons jolting the taxi dadas’ source of livelihood. Time flies as they slowly spiral down the poverty vortex. The Bengal Taxi Association recently announced that taxis will ply with 30% higher fare from 18th May. “A 30% fare hike was announced but there are no passengers to board. I have lost ₹150 priced fuel by searching for passengers. Then they instruct us to sanitise our entire car. I cannot afford all this. I don’t have money to feed myself. I borrow money to eat, how will I sanitise a car?” told taxi driver Mantu Das to The Quint.
Though ‘work from home’ culture dominates this pandemic, pangs of hunger are overpowering. Taxi drivers are forced to venture out for survival, while safety takes a backseat. “I do not have the money to clean my car. More importantly, even though taxis are allowed to operate, there is always a sense of fear. Some drivers are still not willing to drive. What if the passenger onboard is infected? Driving is endangering and risky now,” says Chabila Shau, a driver.
In this decade of capitalistic dominance where private and rental cars like Ola or Uber potentially overshadow Kolkata yellow taxi’s relevance, this pandemic was the last nail in the coffin. People prepare for the ‘new’ normal life and strict two-passenger rule in a taxi. The fate of Kolkata’s ubiquitous taxis is shrouded in uncertainty as they strive for relevance.
Featured image credit: Paul Hamilton/Flickr